Update to IIO Conclusion of Investigation into the Death of a Man near Nelson (2025-099)
Case: 2025-099 Incident Date: January 18, 2025 Agency: Municipal Detachment: Nelson Location: Nelson Detachment: Nelson Police Department Agency: RCMP Incident Classification: Death Case Status: Closed - Without Public ReportINFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey, B.C. — The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is providing more details regarding the recently concluded investigation into the death of a man near Nelson (IIO 2025-099).
On the evening of January 18, 2025 a man left his home to pick a person up in the 600 block of Vernon Street in Nelson. At about 1:30 a.m. on January 19, 2025, the person he was going to pick up called 911 to report he had not arrived at 11:45 p.m. on January 18 as expected and may have been in a motor vehicle incident.
A member of the Nelson RCMP spoke to the caller and attempted unsuccessfully to call the man. The officer requested assistance from the Nelson Police Department shortly after 2:00 a.m. to help with the search. Extensive patrols were undertaken by several officers throughout the morning as cell phone pings provided a large search area and were unable to narrow down which route he may have taken to arrive at his destination. Police searched probable routes that the man could have taken, including along Highways 3A and 6, examining the roadside for signs that a vehicle may have left the road and shining flashlights down the steep embankments along the roadside. The man’s family and friends were also out searching similar areas.
While searching the roads, police pursued other efforts, such as calling taxi companies, inquiring if the man may have gone to a friend’s home and knocking on the friend’s door, and visiting the man’s last known workplace as well as other locations in Nelson. The man’s family had already called local hospitals.
At about 8:45 a.m., police requested search and rescue to assist in the search.
Sadly, at 9:30 a.m., the man was found deceased in his vehicle as a result of his injuries. Exposure was not a factor in the death. The man was sharing his phone location with a friend who was able to track his phone more accurately than the previous pings by police. Unfortunately, the friend was not at home when police knocked on his door earlier, and they had the wrong phone number so were unable to contact him. The man’s family located the friend through his parents later in the morning, and this ultimately led to finding the man.
The area where the man’s vehicle was found was down a steep embankment and the vehicle was not visible from the highway, even with flashlights, in the dark. Search and rescue were required to recover the man, given the dangers inherent in its location.
The IIO was notified on April 14, 2025 when the family raised concerns about police actions regarding the search for the man.
The delegate of the CCD has reviewed the evidence collected by IIO investigators – including medical evidence, witness statements, cell phone records, and police reports – and determined there was no connection between police action or inaction and the man’s death. Reasonable search efforts were undertaken by members of the Central Kootenay RCMP and the Nelson Police Department to attempt to locate the man when he was reported missing.
The IIO investigation is now concluded.
Background
The IIO is the Independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.